f their own, were listening for news, and loitering about
either for mischief or amusement.

In one part was exhibited a narrow wooden box, not unlike to our
puppet-show, wherein a person was concealed having figures made of
wood and earthenware that seemed to act and speak, to the great wonder
and diversion of the audience.

As the rays of the declining sun smote upon the city walls and the
white sails of the barks below, there came into the circus the dwarf
who had charge of Cedric. The captive now looked like a sort of
appendage to his person--being strapped to his arm by a stout thong of
bull's hide, such as was used for correcting refractory slaves. The
hours allotted for search were nearly gone. Day was drawing to a
close, and Cedric had done little else than bemoan his hard fate. The
whole day had been spent in wandering from place to place, urged on by
the scoffs and jeers of his companion. Some furtive attempts to escape
had been the cause of his present bondage. Hither, at length, they
arrived. Tired and distressed, he sat down on one of the vacant
benches, and gave vent to his sorrows in no very careful or measured
language.

"What can I do?" said he, "a stranger in this great city--to set me
a-finding what I never knew? A grain of wheat in a barn full of chaff,
mayhap--a needle in a truss of hay--anything I might find but what was
sheer impossible. And now am I like to be thrown to the dogs, like a
heap of carrion!"

"But the oracle, friend."

"Plague on the oracle, for"----Here his speech was interrupted; for
happening to look up, he saw, as he fancied, the eyes of one of the
little figures in the show-box ogling him, and making mouths in such
wise as to draw upon him the attention of the spectators, now roaring
with laughter at his expense. Reckless of consequences, and almost
furious from sufferings, he suddenly jumped up, and dragging the dwarf
along with him, made a desperate blow at the mimic, which, in a
moment, laid sprawling a whole company of little actors, together with
the prime mover himself, and the showman outside to boot. The fray, as
may readily be conceived, waxed loud and furious. The owners and
bystanders not discriminating as to the main cause of the attack,
would have handled both the keeper and the captive very roughly, had
not the noise awakened the attention of the soldiers in the
neighbouring barracks. Hearing the affray, a party ran to ascertain
the cause of the disturbance,